Welcome Back Comfort Food
The days are slowly getting shorter and there is a subtle crispness in the air, which can only mean one thing: fall is here. While some may scorn the cooler temperatures, I welcome them with wide, sweater-clad arms.
One of the main reasons I love the cooler temps? Now I have an excuse to eat warm comfort food whenever I want! Comfort food like this amazing Monday Night Mac and Cheese dish. With delicious ooey gooey Canadian Cheddar, it will melt away the Monday blues and prepare you for a wonderful week ahead. Spoiler alert: it tastes great on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays too!
And to give those Monday blues an extra shake, pair this homey recipe with an equally comforting wine like Flat Rock Cellars Pinot Noir. Its lighter body will go nicely with the creamy Canadian Cheddar, and its subtle notes of plum, spice, and oak are a perfect compliment to the cooler weather.
A glass of great wine with a mouth-watering dish? It just doesn’t get more comforting than that.
Ingredients:
3 cups (750 mL) water
1 cup (250 mL) 10 % half-and-half or
18 % table cream
12 oz (375 g) elbow macaroni (3 cups/750 mL)
Salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) dry or Dijon mustard
¼ tsp (1 mL) pepper
1½ cups (375 mL) milk
2 cups (500 mL) shredded Canadian old or
extra-old Cheddar cheese
Preparation:
In a large pot, heat water and cream over medium heat until steaming. Stir in macaroni and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 8 min, stirring often, or until macaroni is almost tender.
Whisk flour, mustard and pepper into milk; stir into pot. Increase heat to medium; cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 min or until sauce is thickened.
Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted.
Season to taste with salt.
You’ll find more wine and cheese pairings here as well as in the wine matcher.
You also might enjoy this Google + video wine and cheese tasting via social media.
